TiT environment: Good News For Taiwan's Endangered Species

Good News For Taiwan's Endangered Species

By John Sneddon Photos courtesy Taipei Mucha Zoo

Taiwan has long been recognized as an economic powerhouse and a bastion of industrially based free enterprise. Yet an aspect which remains largely unnoticed in international circles is the island's rich biological diversity and the proliferation of pristine environmental areas scattered across the country.

Originally called Ihla Formosa, or beautiful island, by early Portuguese navigators, today more than half of the island is covered by thick stands of forest which sustain 61 species of mammals, more than 400 species of birds, 92 species of reptiles, 140 species of freshwater fish, and an astounding 50,000 species of insects.

Unfortunately, Taiwan's emergence as a leading industrial nation has not been without its costs. The island's growing economic prosperity has gone hand in hand with the gradual destruction of vast tracts of environmental heritage and, consequently, a marked decrease in the numbers of certain vital native species. The reasons for this environmental decline are diverse. It is inevitable that a population of more than 21 million people on this small island will have an adverse effect on Taiwan's native fauna. Additionally, the hunting of certain animals to satisfy the demand for traditional Chinese medicines has seen the population of some of the island's more beautiful animals reduced to the verge of extinction.

But the outlook for Taiwan's endangered species is no longer bleak. Coupled with an increase in the standard of living has been a realization by the Taiwanese that their environmental heritage is a vital cultural commodity. As people increasingly take advantage of the country's beautiful national parks and protected areas, there has been a corresponding demand for government action to save endangered animal species.

The spotted leopard, endemic to Southeast Asia, is already considered extinct in Taiwan National treasures
Over the course of the last decade, as national treasures such as the Formosan black bear, the Formosan Sika deer, and the Formosan landlocked salmon have dwindled to alarmingly small numbers, the government of the Republic of China, at the urging of an increasingly concerned local population, has enacted a series of laws designed to both protect endangered species and introduce to the international visitor the fascinating diversity of indigenous fauna which Taiwan has to offer.

No less than 67 areas have been established along the length and breadth of Taiwan where native flora and fauna are protected by law. They include six national parks, administered by the Ministry of the Interior, 18 nature reserves, 24 natural forest reserves, 12 coastal reserves, and seven wildlife refuges. These areas are administered by the Council of Agriculture under the Republic of China's two principal pieces of environmental legislation; the Wildlife Conservation Law and the Cultural Heritage Preservation Law.

Will the mere establishment of "safe areas" halt the rapid decline of Taiwan's endangered species? According to Chen Chau-jen of the Council of Agriculture's resources conservation division, Taiwan's environmental legal framework is not a "toothless tiger." "Under the Wildlife Conservation Law, once an animal is recorded on the government's Protected Species List, we allocate funds both for the protection of the animal's habitat and for research to ensure the animal's continued survival," Chen says. "We also prosecute those people who harm the animal or its habitat."

Snack time for a Formosan rock monkey There are currently 174 native Taiwanese animals on the national protected species list. To be classified as a protected species, an advisory committee comprised of academic experts, private conservationists, non-governmental representatives, and members of Taiwan's aboriginal community must determine which species' populations have reached critically low levels. Once a species is on the protected species list, the Council of Agriculture takes action to prevent its extinction.

Unfortunately, with an annual budget of only NT$200 million and so many animals on the list, there is only so much that the Council of Agriculture can do. A quick perusal of most of the work undertaken in the past 12 months shows that a majority of the animals receiving assistance fall into either the "high-profile" or "endearing" categories. Although animals such as bears, deer, monkeys, spotted leopards, and green tree frogs are undoubtedly priceless natural assets, shouldn't less attractive animals, such as snakes, also reap the benefits of Taiwan's new environmental awareness?

Funds allocation
According to Chen, funds allocation is not motivated by an animal's appearance. "Basically," he explains, "all animals will be protected but, because our budget and manpower are limited, we have to select only those animals in the most critical condition." Yang Hui-liang, also of the Council of Agriculture, is more succinct: "Certainly animals such as invertebrates don't receive the same attention as, say, the Formosan rock monkey, but really all countries are the same in that regard."

Public outcry to protect the Formosan Sika deer encouraged the government to enact a series of wildlife conservation laws Apparently, the system works. Although still in its early stages, Taiwan's nascent endangered species policy has caused a marked increase in the populations of certain animals formerly on the brink of extinction.

The Formosan landlocked salmon is an example. A glacial relic that requires cool, clean water for its survival, this beautiful fish was once found in several upper tributaries of the Tachia river. Today, pollution and environmental damage have limited its habitat to a mere five kilometer section of a single mountain stream. After a public outcry led to the salmon being included on the protected species list, large sums of money were allocated to ensure its survival. Today, the Shei-pa National Park owes its very existence to Taiwan's concern for this aquatic treasure, which has already shown a definite sign of recovery.

Formosan black bear encouraged the government to enact a series of wildlife conservation laws Strict enforcement provisions including minimum jail terms of up to one year coupled with fines of up to NT$500,000 for the killing of protected species ensure that once on the list, an animal has a better chance of survival. Of equal benefit is the comprehensive education program being undertaken by the Council of Agriculture to educate the people of Taiwan, in particular the island's children, of the importance of saving endangered wildlife. In 1995 alone, more than 30 wildlife conservation films were produced by the government to educate the Taiwanese people about their rich environmental heritage.

Although still in its infancy, Taiwan's endangered species policy has achieved concrete results. Hopefully, in the future more people will visit Taiwan not just to conduct business, but also to see the marvelous array of flora and fauna the island has to offer.